The Epistle of the Same
Phileas of Thmuis to Meletius, Bishop of Lycopolis.

————————————

The Beginning of the Epistle of the
Bishops.13261326
This epistle was first edited by Scipio Maffeius from an ancient
Verona manuscript in the Osserv. Letter, vol. iii. pp.
11–17, where is given the Fragment of a History of the
Meletian Schism. See Neander’s important remarks on
this whole document, Church History, iii. p. 310
(Bohn).—Tr.

Hesychius, Pachomius, Theodorus, and Phileas, to
Meletius, our friend and fellow-minister in the Lord, greeting.
Some reports having reached us concerning thee, which, on the testimony
of certain individuals who came to us, spake of certain things foreign
to divine order and ecclesiastical rule which are being attempted, yea,
rather which are being done by thee, we, in an ingenuous manner held
them to be untrustworthy, regarding them to be such as we would not
willingly credit, when we thought of the audacity implied in their
magnitude and their uncertain attempts. But since many who are
visiting us at the present time have lent some credibility to these
reports, and have not hesitated to attest them as facts, we, to our
exceeding surprise, have been compelled to indite this letter to
thee. And what agitation and sadness have been caused to us all
in common and to each of us individually by (the report of) the
ordination carried through by thee in parishes having no manner of
connection with thee, we are unable sufficiently to express. We
have not delayed, however, by a short statement to prove your practice
wrong. There is the law of our fathers and forefathers, of which
neither art thou thyself ignorant, established according to divine and
ecclesiastical order; for it is all for the good pleasure of God and
the zealous regard of better things.13271327Zelo meliorum. By them it has been established
and settled that it is not lawful for any bishop to celebrate
ordinations in other parishes13281328
[Parishes = dioceses (so called now); but they were very
small territorially, and every city had its “bishop.”
See Bingham, book ix. cap. 2, and Euseb., book v. cap. 23. Comp.
note 1, p. 106, supra.] than his own; a law which is
exceedingly important13291329Bene nimis magna. and wisely devised. For, in the
first place, it is but right that the conversation and life of those
who are ordained should be examined with great care; and in the second
place, that all confusion and turbulence should be done away
with. For every one shall have enough to do in managing his own
parish, and in finding with great care and many anxieties
164suitable subordinates
among these with whom he has passed his whole life, and who have
been trained under his hands. But thou, neither making any
account of these things, nor regarding the future, nor considering the
law of our sainted fathers and those who have been taken to Christ time
after time, nor the honour of our great bishop and father,13301330
[The bishops of Alexandria are called popes to this day,
and were so from the beginning. See vol. v. p. 154.] Peter,13311331
[Peter succeeded Theonas as sixteenth bishop and primate of
Alexandria. See vol. iv. p. 384; also Neale, Pat of Alex.,
i. p. 90.] on whom we all
depend in the hope which we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, nor softened
by our imprisonments and trials, and daily and multiplied reproach,
hast ventured on subverting all things at once. And what means
will be left thee for justifying thyself with respect to these
things? But perhaps thou wilt say: I did this to prevent
many being drawn away with the unbelief of many, because the flocks
were in need and forsaken, there being no pastor with them. Well,
but it is most certain that they are not in such destitution: in
the first place, because there are many going about them and in a
position to act as visitors; and in the second place, even if there was
some measure of neglect on their side, then the proper way would have
been for the representation to be made promptly by the people, and for
us to take account of them according to their desert.13321332Oportuerat ex populo properare ac nos exigere pro merito. But they knew that they were in
no want of ministers, and therefore they did not come to seek
them. They knew that we were wont to discharge them with an
admonition from such inquisition for matter of complaint, or that
everything was done with all carefulness which seemed to be for their
profit; for all was done under correction,13331333Sub arguente. and all was considered with
well-approved honesty. Thou, however, giving such strenuous
attention to the deceits of certain parties and their vain words, hast
made a stealthy leap to the celebrating of ordinations. For if,
indeed, those with thee were constraining thee to this, and in their
ignorance were doing violence to ecclesiastical order, thou oughtest to
have followed the common rule and have informed us by letter; and in
that way what seemed expedient would have been done. And if
perchance some persuaded you to credit their story that it was all over
with us,—a thing of which thou couldest not have been ignorant,
because there were many passing and repassing by us who might visit
you,—even although, I say, this had been the case, yet thou
oughtest to have waited for the judgment of the superior father and for
his allowance of this practice. But without giving any heed to
these matters, but indulging a different expectation, yea rather,
indeed, denying all respect to us, thou hast provided certain rulers
for the people. For now we have learned, too, that there were
also divisions,13341334 The
manuscript reads chrismata, for which schismata is
proposed. because thy
unwarrantable exercise of the right of ordination displeased
many. And thou wert not persuaded to delay such procedure or
restrain thy purpose readily even by the word of the Apostle Paul, the
most blessed seer,13351335Provisoris—perhaps rather, The
Provider—the saint who with careful forethought has
mapped out our proper course in such matters. and the man who put on Christ, who is
the Christ of all of us no less; for he, in writing to his
dearly-beloved son Timothy, says: “Lay hands suddenly on no
man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins.”133613361 Tim. v. 22. And thus
he at once shows his own anxious consideration for him,13371337Erga illum providentiam. and gives him
his example and exhibits the law according to which, with all
carefulness and caution, parties are to be chosen for the honour of
ordination.13381338
The manuscript gives ordinando adnuntias, for which is proposed
ordinandi. Adnuntiamus. We
make this declaration to thee, that in future thou mayest
study13391339
Reading studeas for studetur. to keep within
the safe and salutary limits of the law.

1326
This epistle was first edited by Scipio Maffeius from an ancient
Verona manuscript in the Osserv. Letter, vol. iii. pp.
11–17, where is given the Fragment of a History of the
Meletian Schism. See Neander’s important remarks on
this whole document, Church History, iii. p. 310
(Bohn).—Tr.

1328
[Parishes = dioceses (so called now); but they were very
small territorially, and every city had its “bishop.”
See Bingham, book ix. cap. 2, and Euseb., book v. cap. 23. Comp.
note 1, p. 106, supra.]